Evergreen
by LeaNicolaie
Summary: AU - Being faced with what he could only refer to as the biggest artist's block known to man, Cross Kaien is anything but happy. Will a meeting with six boys and their mentor change things for him?


A/N: Hello! :D This idea came to me a while ago (translation: _months_ ago) and I've only recently started on it, but yeah, once again, it's full of weird fun-ness XD _Every_one is OOC, some more than others *cough*Kaname&Zero*cough* If you prefer a moody dark Zero, this is _definitely_ not for you. If you like a happy go lucky silly Cross Kaien, this is also not for you XD But for those familiar with my fics, I hardly write a dark angsty Zero (as I'm terrible at it), so it should be okay right? *ducks oncoming wave of thrown food*

If you're sure you want to stick around still, then feel free :D

:: :: ::

**Evergreen**

:: :: ::

"_Kaien…we're just not working out…"_

Cross Kaien sighed heavily, shoulders sagging.

Right. Not working out.

He supposed he should have seen it coming. Their schedules hardly coincided and whenever they did see each other, it was for a mere few hours in which they hardly did anything. They never really talked, and the past three months felt as though he'd been going out with a stranger. The way they'd clicked and danced when they first met now all seemed like a dream.

"Kunihiko…"

He let out another long sigh, letting the wind blow against his face. Feeling a few petals brush by his cheeks he looked up and smiled wistfully.

The weather was a total contrast to what he was feeling. Pink, feather soft cherry blossoms flew about from the huge tree planted years ago on campus. It was spring, a time of rebirth, when everything grew into full flourishing flowers, and here he was, in one of his darkest days.

About to look down at his shoes once again Kaien sputtered as he felt something slap against his face. Flailing to get it off, he looked down at it incredulously. It was a piece of paper, the ink on it still not even completely dried. Panicked, he felt along his face to check if any of it got on his skin, and stared at his stained fingers in dismay.

Great, just great. He really shouldn't have gotten out of bed this morning. About to crumple the page out of sheer frustration and misery, he was rather abruptly interrupted.

"I'm terribly sorry, that's one of mine!" Someone called from above.

Kaien looked up, blinking. His eyes widened when he saw who was leaning over the window from the third story.

"Goodness…" He whispered.

Had he ever seen such a beautiful man before in his life? Because of course, there was the classic 'tall, dark and handsome' and then there was _this._ 'Tall, dark, _perfection'._ There was not a thing out of place. Facial structure, the line of his neck leading to his broad shoulders, everything Kaien could see from his vantage point was unbelievably balanced. Even the wind seemed to work in his favor, as if Mother Nature couldn't help singing his praises. Was he a model? And if so, what in the world was he doing in such a secluded place on campus?

Said perfect man frowned worriedly. "I even got ink on your face. Let me get you something." He rushed away from the window for a brief moment, and in the next, the man was gracefully leaping over the edge, coming to stand in front of Kaien with a wet washcloth.

"Here." He offered, smiling apologetically. "And I'll take this off your hands." He quickly took back his ink painting between two fingers.

"Thank you...?" Kaien wasn't sure how to react or what to say. His brain still needed some catching up.

"Kaname!" Another voice called from the same window.

Kaien looked up and stared. Again. What was up with that room and producing the most attractive men?

Pale hair shined under the sun like a halo and lilac eyes went along much too well with the fluttering petals in the air. His skin seemed even lighter than that of the man, Kaname, before him. Kaien vaguely wondered if it felt as soft as it looked.

"How many times have I told you to close the damn window?" His beautifully striking features were settled in a rather intimidating scowl, though Kaname hardly seemed fazed by it. Looking up, his lips lifted in an affectionate smile.

"Sorry Zero, the weather was just so nice. The cherry blossoms are beautiful around this time, no?"

"Yes, yes, now get your ass back up here. We still have work to do." Zero frowned. Kaien offered a hesitant smile when Zero's eyes focused on him. "Who is he?"

"An unfortunate victim of my flyaway paintings." Kaname said ruefully. He lifted the inked page to show the smudged picture.

"Again?" Zero sighed as though terribly aggrieved. He nodded down at Kaien. "Sorry about that, the idiot never listens to me."

There was laughter from back in the room and a blond stuck his head out this time. Kaien was now convinced that room was enchanted with some sort of spell. Bright blue eyes peered down from beside Zero and an adorable smile broke out above them.

"Kaname, again?" He chuckled.

Kaname ran a hand through his hair sheepishly.

Kaien felt a bit of laughter bubble up inside him and smiled. "It's alright, this isn't anything that won't go away with a bit of water." He scrubbed his cheeks with the washcloth Kaname had given him.

"Wait a minute, are you Cross Kaien?" The blond blurted, leaning dangerously out of the window. Kaien blinked. "Yes, that's my name…"

Their eyes widened.

"Shit." Zero turned from the window for a split second before turning back and just jumping over the ledge, landing next to Kaname. His movements had been so swift Kaien blinked. What happened to the use of stairs and doors like normal people?

Zero took the washcloth from him and threw it back up to the blond who caught it easily on his fingers. "You're Cross Kaien? The senior painter at Kuramizaki?"

Bemused, Kaien gave a slow nod. "You know about me?"

"Know about you? Who doesn't? That last exhibition you gave was wonderful." Kaname smiled.

"Oh. Thank you."

That exhibition had been done when he and Kunihiko were still sharing a healthy relationship. Kaien had felt he could never have been happier. Now though, those times were past, as well as that exhibition.

He hadn't been able to paint anything satisfying recently.

Zero looked up at the blond in the window and they both nodded. "Can you spare some time?" He asked.

What? "Uh, yes, but—"

"Good." And before he'd even realized he was moving, a slender hand wrapped around his wrist in a firm hold, tugging him up the front steps.

Kaien would later recall that meeting as one that changed his life.

:: :: ::

The large room was covered in paint and the floor littered with pieces of paper and other art supplies. It was a miracle the boys' clothes were so clean. And there hadn't been just the three boys he'd met. There were six in total.

"Hanabusa just told me. Thank you for deciding to help us!" Honest green eyes smiled at him earnestly, and all Kaien could do was nod. They didn't seem like bad people.

"It's good to have someone that actually knows what they're doing." The tallest of them commented dryly, to which the blond he suspected was Hanabusa, pouted indignantly at.

"Kaname and I tried our best, it's not our fault we haven't any artistic sense!"

Zero snorted. "Calm it Hana, neither do the rest of us."

"Right." Green Eyes said sheepishly. "Which is why we're all grateful for your help. We've been stuck here for the past three days with nothing to show for our efforts. It's rather embarrassing actually."

"What are all of you working on, exactly?"

They all paused.

"Well." Hanabusa started. "Before we start on how to decipher the crap that is our work, I think we should start on why we're doing this." He shared a glance with Zero, who nodded.

"We're part of a club - of a sort - our upperclassmen forced on us, and it's for looking after kids with terminal illnesses or the elderly." He explained. "We visit hospitals mostly, and this time one in particular asked for personal artwork and designs to give to the kids."

Hanabusa sighed. "We want to make this look good, but…" He gestured to the mess in the room and shrugged.

Kaien followed his waving hand and looked around. "Right." He meant no offense, but as Hanabusa said earlier, they were certainly no art students. His own professors would cry at the utter destruction done to the materials.

"Uh…have you thought of what type of piece you'd like to give?" He asked. "And is this collaborative, or are each of you working on separate pieces?"

"Collaborative." Hanabusa answered decisively. "After seeing this you can't expect each of us to come up with something that's even half-way decent."

Kaien tilted his head. "Have you ever thought of just making a book? It's so much simpler, with certain set guidelines that might help to put things into perspective. Or it could be more interactive - you can have the kids participate in making artwork alongside you to make the occasion more special. Being able make something with your own hands is more gratifying than you think." And for children with terminal illnesses, who hadn't long to live, being able to leave a solid trace of themselves must mean something.

He hadn't thought his ideas were all that noteworthy. He'd only rambled out what came first in his mind, but seeing the expressions on six gorgeous underclassmen light up was a moment Kaien wouldn't be forgetting any time soon.

Kaname smiled happily. "Zero can we keep him?"

Hanabusa nodded excitedly. "He'll be good for future projects. We could totally use him."

Zero tilted his head. "Taku, what do you think?"

"We shouldn't talk about him as if he isn't here." 'Taku' said, his voice lined with fond exasperation.

"I think he'll be good for us too." A quiet voice spoke up, piercing opalescent eyes considering Kaien quietly.

The tallest of them shrugged. "It's five against one, Takuma, we're keeping him."

"Five…? Wait, you too, Akatsuki? And Senri…" Takuma actually sent Kaien a pitying glance.

Kaien swallowed delicately.

'Keep' him? He wasn't a pet or a stray dog they could just decide to take off the streets. Who were these boys? Now that he thought about it, they couldn't just be anyone. With those looks, they just couldn't.

But he'd never seen them around before, and it was impossible to miss them. More so if they always hung out together. He should have at least heard of them. The girls surely wouldn't have let them go without a bit of gossip to follow their trail.

"What club is this called?" He asked hesitantly.

Hanabusa beamed. "Evergreen!"

:: :: ::

"What? _Cross Kaien_? You're bluffing." The deep rough voice sent a shiver down Kaien's spine.

"We could be, but we're not." Hanabusa said smugly. "He's standing outside this office right now."

"Then bring him in."

Takuma encouraged him with a light push at his back and a soft smile. "He may seem a bit…you know, but he's not bad once you get to know him." He whispered.

"Takuma, I hope that wasn't about me," that same voice demanded. Takuma let out a nervous laugh. "Of course not Yagari-sensei, and even if it was, I'd only sing with praise for you," he declared dramatically. Hanabusa snickered as he left to go back downstairs.

Kaien closely studied the professor's features and seriously wondered if this club, 'Evergreen', only accepted exceptionally good looking people, as even their teacher had a certain air about him. His ruggedly handsome looks held their own charm. Kaien certainly wouldn't have forgotten someone like him so easily if he were to have met him previous.

His skin was lightly tanned, his wild dark hair in gentle curls, a few locks framing his face, with the rest pulled back in a low tail. Judging from the smell in the office, Yagari-sensei was a smoker.

"You're Cross Kaien?" He asked gruffly, raising a well-worn booted foot to rest atop one of his knees, leaning back in his chair. Kaien couldn't help but notice on the size of his feet by that casual movement. They were… Well, they were big.

"Uh, yes," he answered haltingly. Since getting dragged up to the fourth floor of the building he just met the boys in, he couldn't quite get his mind around what was happening to him exactly, and he'd no idea what they wanted from him either. He didn't mind helping out, but he'd never heard of Evergreen, and didn't really know whether to believe all they did was offer comfort and entertainment to hospitalized children.

Looking up, he nearly had to keep himself from fidgeting when he caught Yagari's cool assessing eyes. He didn't feel like he was getting judged per se, but Yagari's eyes were searching, as though looking for something in him, and he didn't like the thought of what the other man might say if he didn't find what he was looking for.

Yagari broke the silence by shrugging and drumming his fingers against his booted ankle. "Huh, you're a lot tinier than what I expected. The brats seem to like you enough. We'll be using you." With that, he promptly turned in his seat and began writing.

Kaien frowned. What was he supposed to get from that besides the thought that the man thought him short and didn't think much of his students or Kaien's possible refusal? "I'll let the comment on my height slide, though it's hard to see how anyone could be taller than you, but did you think you could just decide things for me and expect me to roll over and accept them?"

"Yes." The teacher continued writing, the wheelie chair creaking as he shifted into a more comfortable position. Sticking a large hand into his shirt pocket, he lifted a cigarette case out of it, and stuck one of them between his lips. Leaning back to light it (his lighter was rather elaborate, Kaien noticed), he sent Kaien a bored look. "Got nothing else? Then go help the brats with their crap."

Kaien stood up. "You—"

"Sensei, you could at least thank him." Takuma frowned. Kaien was surprised to see there was actual disproval without any hint of the warm playfulness he'd seen with the boys. "He's taking his time to offer us his talents. Goodness knows he must be busy elsewhere…"

Actually, he wasn't, not at the moment, but even still, this teacher had no right to—

"Mm, you're right. Thank you, those kids'll be happy." Yagari said softly, referring to the sick children. He didn't look up from his desk, but Kaien could see the serious grim line of his mouth and the stiffness in his brows to know he meant his words.

Kaien blinked. He hadn't thought someone like Yagari would be able to admit to his wrongs so easily.

Takuma gave an inaudible sigh of relief and nodded. "Cross-san, let's go. I fear what Zero and Hanabusa have gotten up to in my absence." He lightly joked, and Kaien hadn't thought too much into it until they stepped into the large studio.

Takuma's fears weren't exactly unfounded. Kaien could only stare in faint disbelief as the two boys squirted paint at each other in rapid succession from miniature water guns. The toys were regular cheap transparent plastic models anyone could find in a convenient store, and Kaien guessed the paint was diluted with water to make it fly farther, as paint on its own would be much too thick.

If he hadn't thought the room dirty before, it was definitely dirty now. Paint was splattered on every available surface, especially along the walls, and he gave a slight wince as he saw a stray shot go out the open window. If anyone were to pass by below… But as dirty as the room looked, Kaien noted the boys' bags and personal belongings had been untouched, as well as the three others who merely stood to the side, amused.

Takuma coughed pointedly and sent them a look. Kaname and Akatsuki nodded, smiling, as they immediately stepped in, wrapping their arm around each paint-covered boy and easily taking the gun away from them with the other.

"Kaname!" Zero protested.

"Akatsuki!" Hanabusa protested in kind.

"Zero, you got so dirty, I think a good warm shower is in order, no?" Kaname purred out suggestively. "Would you rather continue playing with Hanabusa, or come with me?"

"I don't know, a shower sounds good." Zero smirked. He looked to Hanabusa. "How bout it, Hana? A shower?"

The blond laughed out loud and nodded, sending Kaname a smirk of his own as he exited the room, arm-in-arm with Zero. Kaien had to keep in a smile as he saw Kaname cross his arms, visibly disgruntled. Akatsuki was shaking his head, huffing a laugh.

These boys were so carefree; a complete contrast to his own current disposition, it was refreshing to see. After three months of Kunihiko and being left to deal with their break up on his own, these six boys had brought a decidedly different turn to his continuous streak of horrible days.

For weeks, he'd been drifting without aim, a tiny lost boat trying desperately to stay afloat amidst the rough waves of an ocean full of darkening doubt. He didn't know which direction would lead to shore, but for now, for the short moments he'd spent with these boys, he could feel the storm calming, if even a little, giving him a chance to _breathe_ for once.

"Sorry about those two," Takuma shook his head. "They're usually okay, but when we leave them alone for a length of time…things happen. It's always been that way since we were kids."

Kaien could only imagine. He and Takuma hadn't been gone fifteen minutes and the boys had somehow managed to acquire water guns to turn the studio into a paint war battleground.

"You've known each other, all of you, for so long?"

Takuma smiled happily and nodded. "Ever since we were six, in the same class in elementary. Some of us attended different middle schools and high schools, but we always found time to spend together, and now we're all in the same college."

Now that he mentioned it… "You don't go to Kuramizaki, do you?"

Takuma blinked then laughed lightly. "Oh no, I have nothing against the school, it's a wonderful college, but none of our parents would ever approve. We go to Kaiou."

"Kaiou?" That was one of the best, if not the best in Japan, Kaien marveled. These boys…these whimsical, carefree, deadly attractive boys…all went to Kaiou? How did they ever find the time to have any sort of social life? To spend three days trying to come up with artwork for terminally ill children?

As though reading his mind, Takuma nodded. "Yes, that Kaiou. For most of us here, it's the standard our parents set for us. They've always wanted our best. But if you ask Zero and Hanabusa it's because Kaiou is the closest school to their apartment. Finding out the rest of us were going was just an added bonus." He finished dryly.

Kaien sputtered out a laugh. "That's rather convenient." He could only imagine what some of the desperate college students would say to that. He didn't doubt many, if not all of the students there worked their butt off to get accepted, and to hear something as simple as, 'Well, it was closest to where I happen to currently live…' as the reason for choosing the school? Kaien could already see the outrage.

"Zero and Hanabusa are practical in the simplest of ways. I suppose you could call it a form of laziness, but they're usually so logical, you can't help but be persuaded to think the same." Takuma said affectionately.

"Only freshman and sophomores are allowed to live on campus in most colleges, and they decided if they were essentially going to be kicked off in a mere two years, what's the point of staying there in the first place, and got their own apartment in an area they liked. But next was transportation. They didn't want to have to commute so far, and when they saw Kaiou was just ten minutes away…" He shrugged.

"Those two seem pretty interesting." Kaien chuckled.

"Oh, you're not the first to say so."

:: :: ::

Yagari inhaled another lungful of his cancer stick and leaned his elbows on his desk. Brows furrowed and eyes intense, anyone passing by would most likely forego entering the office and conduct business elsewhere. Not that were was anyone to pass by haphazardly. This building was their own, for their use.

_And if those damn brats knew how to keep a low profile, we could've stayed on Kaiou grounds_, Yagari inwardly groused for the umpteenth time. The reason why their 'club' had to meet in a place twenty minutes away from their actual school was due to the alarming number of people (not just the fairer sex) that followed them around.

He knew they didn't mean to attract so much attention; hell, most of them didn't even know _why_ they attracted the attention in the first place, but dear god, could they not have a break once in a while? Yagari, due to having known them for so long, had been put in charge of the 'club' they were forced into. (Most of the faculty was wary of handling the six of them at once.) The other members had thought it'd be a good way to gain more girls, but Yagari had already read into that thought pattern (he'd been a young college guy too, once) and secured a place at Kuramizaki instead.

_As it turns out, the brats have become more serious about the club than the older members_, Yagari thought dryly. The boys hadn't necessarily been completely against the idea of joining the club, and when they went on their first visit to the hospital, they'd loved it so much they hadn't minded at all, eagerly planning their next visit, listing what kind of gifts they should bring then.

Yagari, thinking it could only be good for them to interact with more than just rich snobs, and the brats' parents supporting them the whole way, had agreed to take care of the small formal matters until such a time they decided to discontinue Evergreen.

But as it was, the nearby hospital children had never received so many gifts in their short life, and the brats' parents (namely that stuffy grandfather of Takuma's) in turn got to look like kindhearted compassionate (law abiding) citizens.

It was rather surprising, Yagari thought as he softly breathed out another lungful of smoke, how decent the brats turned out to be with how financially gifted they all were. Of course, it also had to do with their parents actually being decent people, but not all of a child's misgivings could be blamed on a parent, and the boys had each grown to become a respected individual in their own right.

Now, if they could just keep the noise down, Yagari frowned, hearing Zero and Hanabusa exchanging quick banter as they passed his door. He didn't doubt they'd done something again (he hadn't missed that flying paint), and was just escaping back to their rooms to avoid Takuma's half-hearted scolding.

Despite how open they were to each other the boys were rather closed off to anyone outside their small circle, especially Kaname and Zero. He supposed Senri could be included in there, but Senri was quiet to everyone and the only way you could tell the difference was to see if he looked at you while you talked. If he did, you were good to go, if not, it wouldn't have mattered whether you flapped your mouth until you were blue in the face, he wouldn't have heard a word.

With Kaname and Zero, things were much more obvious. Kaname would be distantly polite, as though he couldn't bear to let anyone further in past the arms length he kept them at, and Zero turned into a grumpy Senri. He'd hardly speak a word, and when he did, he was unrelenting and extremely short with his words.

Although irrational (and Yagari had a feeling the boys were also aware) they'd come to believe, on some instinctive, defensive level, that anyone outside their small circle of familiar faces were…dangerous. Due to past experiences, they learned venturing out of their secure comfortable zone would enable them for emotional pain. Not many 'outsiders' could be trusted, and neither of them hardly ever bothered to interact closely with anyone besides Senri, Takuma, Hanabusa, or Akatsuki.

…Which was why he was so sure Hanabusa had just been trying to pull his leg when he mentioned they'd 'caught' Cross Kaien with one of Kaname's disastrous paintings and Zero, _Zero_ of all people, had dragged him inside.

If it'd been Takuma or Hanabusa himself, it wouldn't really have been much of a surprise. Those two were the most friendly of the group and took to talking to people like penguins to swimming. But it'd been Zero who'd chosen to drag the painter inside, and after that, Kaname hadn't exactly been against having the senior there either. Supposedly, he'd been the first to ask if they could 'keep' him.

All of it could have been out of necessity, as they hadn't an artistic bone in their body, but Yagari had a feeling it was something else, and that 'something else' would become clearer with time.

Yagari himself didn't think there was much to Cross Kaien, not really. He was a gifted painter, that much was certain, but his work, according to his professors, had been lacking as of late and Yagari couldn't see any of the inspiring artist in the man's uncertain eyes. They were filled with self-doubt and clouded with other distracting emotions.

It may not have been noticeable at first glance, but when placed next to the brats, the differences were alarmingly obvious. It was not that they were livelier or more cheerful (Yagari felt they needed less of that sometimes), but the simple fact that the boys were comfortable with who they were and confident with who they knew themselves to be. Cross Kaien, Yagari figured, felt far from such, and it made him wonder whether the painter really was the mastermind behind the 'Life' exhibit he'd taken the brats to.

_It's been months since then, and he could be going through a rough patch, as all humans do. _Yagari shrugged. He supposed. But even if that were true, it wasn't any of his business.

"Sensei, where were the buckets again?" Takuma poked his head in. Yagari grunted and gestured to a side of the room, otherwise not making a move. Takuma was more than used to his less than vague verbal answers, and just went ahead to look into the closet.

Taking out a couple of plastic buckets, Takuma thanked him and left just as quietly as he'd entered.

:: :: ::

"I'd rather be in the shower with Zero," Kaname frowned, wiping at one of the walls.

Takuma raised a brow, unimpressed. "No complaining. Once they get back, they'll be helping us too. You'll get to have Zero then."

Kaname sent him a baleful look, or at least he tried, Kaien observed. It looked more of a sulky glare, as though to say, 'You know that's not what I mean.'

And Takuma did seem to know, he just looked like he'd prefer not to talk about it. At all, really.

Akatsuki smiled. "You sure they're not doing anything in the shower? They might be messing with the nozzles next. They come up with the most bizarre ideas, it's too bad we can't use them for our project."

"Who says we can't? Cross-san may be able to help us in that." Takuma smiled back.

"I really haven't got a choice in this, do I?" Kaien said warily, scrubbing at one of the more insistent paint stains.

Takuma gave him a gentle sympathetic pat. "It's not as terrible as it seems, I promise. Once you involve yourself with the kids, there's nothing better. Of course, they're not all innocent angels, and it might not be all fun and games, but they give people things that aren't easy to come by.

"The kids at the hospital…they hold a certain type of maturity and wisdom I'd never seen in my grandfather, or any of our parents. They see and feel things differently from other children who have nothing to fear, not something as devastating and final as death.

"Some are bitter, and they have plenty right to be, but most of them are just trying desperately to live, and I don't think there's anything more beautiful." Takuma smiled. "I hope you feel the same when we go. It's why we love being a part of Evergreen."

Kaien had paused in his scrubbing. Of course, since when had he forgotten that? In the midst of his confusion, all he could he see were the boys and their joyous antics. He had to remember the reason why they wanted him here. It was to help the children have a little more fun, to relax, even for a day.

And, he thought, now amused, Takuma probably hadn't much of an idea of just how effective his smiles were in brightening someone's day. He didn't doubt there were kind nurses that took care of the kids, but to have tall handsome young boys tell them how proud of them they were, and how beautiful… Kaien thought that was beautiful as well.

They weren't just being kind, the boys truly believed it. They really saw something in those kids they couldn't see in anyone else, and treasured it, treasured every minute they were able to spend with them.

"Thank you, I think I will." He said softly.

Takuma nodded. "As rewarding as the experience may be, though, you'll have to watch out for Hanabusa and Zero; Hanabusa more than Zero, but still, they get along with the kids a little too well, if you know what I mean." He said dryly.

Kaien chuckled.

They were all interrupted when the door slid open. The two paint flingers took one look at the rest of the boys and the cleaning supplies and made a run for it. Kaien felt Takuma stiffen beside him before his hand tightened on the washcloth he was holding, and in a split second, Takuma was after them too.

He watched him go with a slight laugh and turned to Akatsuki and Kaname. "You're not going after them?"

Kaname gave an elegant shrug of his shoulders. "All three of them will be back in two minutes," he explained.

"Or less," Akatsuki added.

"Or less," Kaname nodded. "None of us have ever won against Takuma in a race. Both Zero and Hanabusa are just doing it simply because they know Takuma would come after them."

Kaien blinked and sighed, smiling as he leaned against the wall. You really couldn't win with them, could you?

And just as Kaname had predicted, Takuma was back, a freshly showered Zero and Hanabusa behind him. Handing each of them a wet washcloth, he sent them to opposite sides of the room and gave a stern command to 'clean or else'.

Kaname sent the blond a glance of approval for sending Zero to his side of the wall, which Takuma expertly ignored.

Turning to wipe down his own share of the paint, Kaien shook his head as he laughed silently. They were so interesting to watch, he couldn't look away from them. They also seemed to have a particular person they were more attached to than the others. He'd first thought Zero and Hanabusa were closest out of the six of them, but all Kaname seemed to care about was Zero, and Zero didn't seem to mind the attention.

Rather…Kaien smiled as he saw Kaname lean over to whisper something in the other boy's ear, and in response, Zero casually leaned back against Kaname, laughing into his shoulder, slender frame shaking with mirth.

Takuma, who was currently out of the to refill the buckets with clean water, was most likely the 'enforcer' of the group (or more like a conscience), and with how he took such gentle care of Senri, Kaien supposed the quiet boy was who Takuma was closest to.

And Akatsuki…He wouldn't have noticed without the water gun incident, but Akatsuki was much like a doting older brother for Hanabusa. Hanabusa seemed the youngest with Zero as his partner in crime, but if he were to be hurt, he would go to Akatsuki for reassurance and comfort.

They all had an interesting balance Kaien felt he wanted to see more of, if allowed the chance.

:: :: ::

EDIT: 05-23-13


End file.
